Boloco – Tufts University

meh
nothing special
not worth it
spend your money at dave’s — or if ya don’t feel like walking, go to dph
burritos are tasteless, although as I’m sure has been noted, they aren’t really burritos but are more a-​whole-​bunch-​of-​ingredients-​that-​should-​in-​theory-​taste-​good-​together inside a tortilla
the proximity to tufts & sustainability made me want to love them, but it’s just not gonna happen unless they improve the quality of their ingredients

Recently dropped in and was pleasantly surprised by this unassuming location. There’s lots of seats and the place is very clean and welcoming. Go Boloco!

Even though my last visit was pretty disappointing, I usually enjoy my GoLoco bowls here.
First off, the staff is always great. We’ve had a number of different people take our orders over the past couple years and they’re usually funny and outgoing. Seems like a silly thing, but it makes you feel welcome and that never hurts.
I really loved the Korean special that they offered a few months back, but they’re constantly trying out new stuff, which is great to see from a relatively successful mini-​chain. The bowls are pretty well packed, as are the burritos.
My main complaints are the $ 1.50 charge for adding guacamole and that they occasionally mess up your order by forgetting an ingredient. I understand avocados aren’t the cheapest, but wouldn’t $ 0.50 be more reasonable for a little dollop of guac? Also, don’t understand how they can miss ingredients when it’s printed out on a little sheet for the people making ‘em…
All in all, I’d rather spend $ 8 for lunch at Bob’s or Dave’s over Boloco, but it’s a solid enough option to warrant four stars.

Ah, Boloco. This is the closest place to grab food near Tufts. But I have no complaints. I love them so. Think of the burritos here as a different twist to what you normally think of burritos. If you come here wanting Mexican fast food burritos (even though burritos are not technically considered real Mexican food), then you may be disappointed. But if you come here just wanting to grab some fast food, then it’s not so bad. I don’t have a favorite burrito per se as I’ve gotten everything from the Buffalo, the Summer, Bangkok Thai, Cajun, and others. I’m not sure if they’re still doing the Korean BBQ burrito, but as a Korean, I would not recommend it. I was thoroughly disappointed by it when I tried it. Just saying. The smoothies and shakes here are also bomb.
But to be honest, it’s not the burritos and smoothies that keep me coming back and giving this place 4 stars. It’s their customer service. They remain committed to keeping their customers happy, even if it means renting the space month-​to-​month after almost closing down. But after much pleading from Tufts students and neighborhood friends, this Boloco stayed open after all AND even held a free burrito day for all customers. Friendly, reliable, and efficient service gets this Boloco 4 stars.

As if I didn’t already LOVE these guys enough, today I was the lucky winner of free Boloco for my office! Anthony was fantastic at helping place our order of 15 burritos, chips and quac and salsa (which was freshly made mmmm soo good). I tried the teriyaki for the first time and was pleasantly surprised by the sweet saltyness and great amount of veggies inside. Will definitely have to put this one in the weekly rotation of my Boloco visits. Everyone was so happy to have a free lunch brighten up their Monday. Thanks Boloco! You guys are the best!
Maybe I should go buy a lotto ticket…

Positives: they seem like nice people. And their free burrito day was surprisingly efficient. I’m not trying to be mean but I’m sorry I just can’t help myself when I’m mostly grading on the food.
My FB wall post to a fellow Bay Area bred amiga after Boloco:
«eating this boloco free burrito and hating myself a little because it makes my heart ache so much. i’m such a bitchy little burrito elitist but i cannot deal — the carnitas were dry and mealy, rice undercooked, beans undercooked, tortilla too thick. i’m filled, but upset. i might crack open a corona before 2pm to soothe my soul. #californiaproblems #burritobitching»
1+ to the camp of «these aren’t burritos, these are wraps» Sorry Boloco, although props for the efficiency/​success of your free burrito day.

Please eat here or Tufts students/​local Medford residents will have a burrito-​sized hole in their GI tract! Seriously, we would all have to walk to Davis Square to eat burritos, so I am pleading with everybody to eat at Boloco.
What else is there to say?
THE GIST: Boloco has fresh and fast burritos that are easily customizable to your wants and desires. I usually come here because its close, convenient and fast to order. Boloco is Americanized burritos like Chipotle, but with more flavors.
WHY BOLOCO? I’m a fan because of their quick service. I have been coming here since my freshman year and the employees are always friendly. Since I go there so much, they all know what I usually like (Buffalo Chicken with Romaine Lettuce, Brown rice and a Whole wheat wrap) and get it to me even faster. I’m hopeful that they will make their spicy BLT a permanent menu item.
FUN FACT: if you go there often enough, you notice that there is one TUPD sergeant who ALWAYS eats there (probably even more than me)
TIP: get their FREE rewards card. Every $ 50 of purchases, you get a free menu item. Their smoothies are also very tasty. I would recommend the nutella milkshake, but only get a small because its way too rich for your tastebuds/​stomach if you get too much. Too rich = the shits
They are also usually full around lunchtime.
All in all. cool people, cool burritos

These guys are the freaking best. They are extremely friendly, take your orders really quickly, and just make really good food. One time I forgot to pick up my smoothie and the guy chased me down on Boston Ave to give it to me.
They are awesome. Get the Boloco card and you get a free burrito every $ 50 you spend.

Erik’s rating agency has downgraded the Tufts Boloco to junk status, with a negative outlook. Further austerity measures are recommended — possibly default.
Seriously though, I used to depend on this place. Now half my orders get messed up and half of the workers look either pissed off or depressed. They stopped delivering a while ago (which should be updated above) and whenever I try to order stuff ahead of time on the phone it’s like trying to explain galactic quasars to a three year old.
I ate here all the time my freshman and sophomore years, but have since done otherwise. Even though this place is so close, most of the time we say f*ck it and drive to Anna’s in davis sq.
When I heard this place was closing I was sort of happy. Like, looking forward to some closure, like I’d finally get to put my old friend to rest. Now they are sticking around, and even put in some new touch screen things, which confuses me.
I’d give them 1 star but I usually walk out full, so I can’t complain that much. Just give me some consistency, pls.

I don’t end up here too often, but, when I do, I’m always pleasantly surprised by 1. how friendly and on-​the-​ball everyone is and 2. how fresh-​tasting and yummy my burrito turns out (whichever flavor combo I end up with…)
Anyway, I think it is a little pricey for the amount of food you get (and I almost got some special one they were running then didn’t when the fine print said it would be $ 1.50 to add guac which seemed insane) but overall it’s a go-​to when I forget (or in today’s case, drop) my lunch from home.

Even though I think their burritos are just ok, I sometime got this craving for them and an elvis shake.
It seemed like every other day they were running some promotion, or I would find a free burrito coupon in my pocket.
The Boloco staff are really nice, and it’s a nice bright and clean space if working beside your Teriyaki burrito is your thing…

I wasn’t sure I’d like Boloco. I’m not really a big fan of rice in burritos and was a bit wary of some of the combinations they were offering. That being said, my maiden voyage to the place has made me a believer!
Boloco offers a variety of burritos and salads. You can either order one of their premade combinations (and pick your protein of choice) or create your own. As this was my first visit, I decided to go with a premade option: the Bangkok Thai with chicken. It was absolutely delicious: the peanut sauce was fabulous, the brown rice had a nice chew to it, and the Asian slaw and cucumber added a welcome amount of crunch. The summer burrito was also quite tasty. I had the chance to sample my bf’s and loved the taste of the mango salsa: it really jazzed up what would have otherwise been a pedestrian burrito. As far as what size to order… the mini is quite small (good for a very light lunch or a snack), while the small is sufficient for a standard-​sized lunch.
To drink, Boloco has a selection of smoothies. My sister’s had the Nutella milkshake and reported that it was a bit rich for a beverage… it could be a meal. The cape codder has a nice tang to it thanks to the combination of cranberry and frozen yogurt. There’s also a cookie monster smoothie (frozen yogurt and chocolate chip cookie pieces) which my inner six-​year-​old is strongly tempted to try…

The current 3.5 star average seems about right. The burrito is a great vehicle for all kinds of delicious things, so I have no problem with a burrito place that doesn’t serve anything resembling an authentic burrito. I’ve had the summer burrito (the one with the mango salsa) and the Cajun burrito, and both were fairly tasty but also kind of dry. Maybe I’m just used to disgustingly unhealthy burritos loaded with guacamole.
I also appreciate a burrito establishment that is a place for students to sit and work.

We live around the corner from this Boloco location, and it never disappoints. The Classic Mexican and the Summer burritos are my personal favorites, and my husband always orders the buffalo chicken.
Their habanero salsa is delicious – very spicy, but that’s what you expect when you order habanero salsa – and adds the perfect amount of kick. The guacamole is all right; nothing to write home about, but not bad.
The smoothies are also great; I’ve had the Nutella shake, which is like a meal in itself, and the mango-​passion smoothie, which is delicious and even relatively healthy, made with mango, mango juice and nonfat frozen yogurt. Actually, as I write this review, my mango smoothie is sitting in the freezer, waiting for me to finish it for dessert, since my Summer burrito bowl left me too full (never a bad thing).
The only thing I would say is – if you’re getting takeout, check your order before you leave. The last two times I’ve been there, they’ve messed up my order in some way and I didn’t realize until we got home. So just take a peek in the bag to make sure everything’s as you ordered it; they’re very obliging if something’s amiss.
Also, a BIG point in favor of Boloco, especially compared with most other fast-​food chains, is that all of their packaging and silverware is 100% compostable. Also, they’re a local establishment, so when you eat there you’re supporting a small (er) Boston business.

I’m not sure why I haven’t reviewed Boloco before now. Seriously, from the first bite of my summer about two years ago, I haven’t looked back. Nowadays, I order from here probably about once a week. Sure, it’s not «authentic,» but it’s delicious. Face it. Also, they deliver.
The past two weeks, Boloco has been having a birthday special, where there’s some kind of deal on a different burrito or burrito and smoothie every day. Being a complete sucker for marketing, I’ve bought at least half of these specials. This is a good thing, because I’m fairly positive that I’ve only eaten the summer before these past two weeks. Now, however, I’ve been exposed to the vast array of Boloco flavors. I was a fan of the teriyaki in particular. Broccoli in a burrito? nom nom nom nommmm.
The people are friendly, and it’s pretty clean. The upholstery on the chairs is getting kinda dingy, though. That’s just a pet peeve, I guess.
Oh, and the fact that you can put tofu on any burrito makes this vegan very happy.

I’ve been a devoted Chipotle customer for some time now (especially since they opened a location that I can WALK to from my office — really, you have no idea how amazing that is). But yesterday, I decided I’d finally give Boloco a try… I was not disappointed. So very much not disappointed, in fact, that I went back again for lunch today.
Where Boloco really shines is in their menu of really unique, definitely-​not-​Mexican-​or-​even-​Tex-​Mex burrito flavors. So far I’ve tried the Memphis BBQ burrito with chicken (rice, beans, BBQ sauce, and creamy cole slaw) and the buffalo chicken burrito (rice, beans, celery, chicken, buffalo sauce, and I subbed in sour cream for the icky blue cheese dressing that comes standard). Both of these were truly outstanding, totally filling, and a welcome change from the «would you like the slightly less spicy salsa or the slightly more spicy salsa» options that are available elsewhere.
Don’t get me wrong, I still love Chipotle (and I still DREAM of their guacamole) — but I’ve also grown to love Boloco and the slightly different but still thoroughly delicious product they have to offer. Hooray for new regular lunch spots!

I walked into The Wrap on Newbury Street one hot day 10 years ago for a smoothie. I don’t exactly remember what I got but I knew it was good enough that I wanted to come back to try a burrito sometime soon.
10 years later…
I think I’m the last person in this city to try Boloco, but I decided to swing by on the way back home. The décor and service aren’t anything special.
It’s probably a better summer burrito place than Anna’s. The steak inside the burrito was lukewarm/​cool. Good thing it was a hot day, because this would’ve been unpleasant during the winter. The cheese wasn’t melted, which was a little surprising to me. The hot sauce I ordered was spicy enough. The rice was fine, though nothing spectacular. The vegetables inside (lettuce, cukes, etc.) tasted pretty fresh. Overall, the steak burrito was pretty good.
The burritos kinda contrast the Anna’s ones, as the latter are generally super hot when you get them. So hot, that by the time you bring it back home, the lettuce is steamed. Boloco’s burritos don’t really taste traditional — taste more like wraps or a cold fajita. But it’s definitely more enjoyable to eat than the crap you get at Qdoba…

Although the debate may continue about where to find a top notch burrito in the very un-​Mexican Boston area, I must profess my love for the Medford Boloco, which strives to satisfy you with not only yummy food but delicious smoothies and some killer customer service. Sure, I’ve seen Boloco just about everywhere as they shower the city with free burritos by means of unique marketing campaigns but rarely had I been compelled to buy food from there until recently and one of those times was a big, huge, gigantic order that maybe involved 200 burritos (yes, 200).
I worked out a sponsorship with Boloco’s marketing department to get a fantastic deal for a dance exchange that I was the donation coordinator for to secure 200 burritos. That’s a lot. Oh, and I needed to get them late at night because I would be serving them after midnight. That’s easy, right? There were some communication flaws with the marketing department but Jen, one of the store’s managers worked tirelessly with me the day of to fix everything and get all of my burritos wrapped and ready for the time I needed them. She even secured an additional discount for me to help my organization save money.
When I arrived around 10:00 pm to pick up my 200 burritos, other staff members helped carry them to my car and I was told that extra staff was called in the help prepare our burritos as well to make sure we had what we needed. Apparently, I was a very important person.
But what about taste? The unique combinations of teriyaki chicken, summer steak, classic veggie, and buffalo chicken (my personal favorite) were huge hits at the event. Definitely worth the effort and I am now a big fan of Boloco, at least the Medford store.
As for smoothies, they can whip up a mean Cape Codder that has a delicious cranberry flavor and non-​fat yogurt. Perfect for a summer day! (And don’t forget they offer salads too!)
Even in a clutch, the Medford Boloco, and Jen in particular, is on its game and ready to feed you so go sort-​of-​Mexican it up.

Buddy, I know it’s not your life’s ambition to be rolling burritos, but don’t stare at me impatiently with your soulless eyes while I wait for my partner to show up so we can order together. It’s not like there was anyone else waiting behind me or anything. And Crabby Girl, don’t snap at me like I stole the damn cookie when I picked it up right in front of Mr. Dead Inside and waved it around before he rung me up. It’s not my fault he missed it. Maybe Mr. Dead Inside should switch stations with Ms. Perfectly Friendly But Can’t Read, who was very nice but missed the big bold «no bananas» on the smoothie order.
But it’s Boloco, so at least the food is good.

Good healthy option in an area where healthy is hard to come by.
The problem? Delivery can be a bit of an adventure, in terms of getting your order correctly.
This is more than made up for by a quality dine in experience, fresh food, generally friendly staff and responsive management in the rare event that there is a problem. A local chain that actually values its customers.